Collar stiffener and reenforcing means



J. W. STEELE Sept. 27, 1932.

. comm :STIFFENER AND REENFORCING IBANS Filed July 21; 1930 INVENTOR.

BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 27, 1932 JAMES W. STEELE, OF DALLAS, TEXAS COLLAR STIFFENER AND REENFORCING MEANS Applioation'flled July 21,1930. Serial No. 469,579.

This invention relates to laundry appliances and it has particular reference to stifiening bands for temporary use for reenforcing attached shirt collars in order that they will not be crushed when bound into a package for delivery and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of such a device as specified which will afford a double reenforcement for the collar and will not readily be displaced when the shirt is handled, such as wrapping the same.

Another object of the invention resides in the extreme simplicity and ease and readiness with which it can be applied for the rpur pose intended, yet meeting all of the require-.

ments of such a device when applied.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a collar stiffener and reenforcing means affording a medium through which the laundry may advertise its service.

With the foregoing objects as paramount the invention has particular reference to its salient features of construction and the peculiar shape thereof, enabling it to be readily and effectively applied in the manner to be hereinafter explained, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shirt folded in a conventional manner, showing the invention inserted in the collar.

Figure 2 is a detail view of a collar with the invention. applied.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the structur shown in Figures 1 and 2, and

Figure 5 is a similar view of the structure shown in Figure 3. 40 Continuing more in detail with the preferred form of the invention, i. e. that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 1, it is pointed out that while other material can be employed, cardboard is preferred in view of its cheapness and the fact that it may be more readily cut to produce in quantities the preferred form as shown. The device is die stamped to provide parallel bracing or stiffening band portions 1 and 2, connected together by the strip 60 3, on either side of which are cut-outs 4.

collar, holding thesaid wings The cut-outs 1 are of such shape as to cause the adjacent edges of the portion 2 to I be curved downwardly at the point of connection with the strip 3, adapting the latter to accommodate the engaging portions of the collar band at the points where the flaps 5 are connected.

In applying the stiffener described in the foregoing, it is simply necessary to grasp and pinch the middle of the band portion 2 between the thumb and forefinger of one hand for bringing the free ends of said portion 2 close enough together to insert them beneath the flaps 5 of the collar, then pushing said ban-d portion 2 on between the collar folds to embrace and conform to the inner neck-fold thereof, and finally swinging the band portion 1 (as permitted by the connecting portion 3) down within the collar to embrace and conform to the inner face of the neckfold of the collar. It will be noted that the lower edge of the portion 2 is curved at a to conform with the contour of the collar band where the latter is sewed upon the-shirt.

Referring particularly to the modified 7 form shown in Figures 3 and 5, it is pointed out that the same characters of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts. In this latter structure there is only a slight change, this change being that instead of striking out the material to define openings 4, the portion 2 is out along the lines I) and c to define the triangular wings 6. Upon this portion may be applied such advertising as may be desirable or any other printed matter which the user might elect to place thereupon. i

In applying the latter structure, there is no difference other thanthe fact that the wings 6 lie on the outside of the wings f the 5 'down, in

the manner shown in Figure 3. v

In Figure 4is shown a wire 7 embedded in the material forming the device. This wire extends through the device about midway and is effective in holding the latter in folded positionand in fact reenforcing the device to some extent; f It may be desirable to employ this wire in some instances yet it has-been found that the device serves'its purpose very '100 effectively in the absence of any adidtional reenforcement, such as provided through the medium of this wire. From the illustrated mode of use of the device, it will be seen that it provides a flexible stiffening structure for the collar, adapted to snugly conform to the shape of the collar and thereafter support and maintain it in its proper shape with practically a maximum degree of supporting strength for the materials used, inthe later handling and bundling of the finished shirt. This supporting function it will be observed is carried out by providing a stiffening member not only inside the collar, for embracing the inner face of the neck fold, but also between the collar folds for embracing the outer face ofthe neck-fold, and connecting and holding these stiffening and supporting elements together in their proper functional position by a connection bridging the meeting ends of the collar. This connecting portion 3 between the bands thus serves as a means for holding the assembly together prior to use, as an economical feature in its manufacture, and thereafter functions both as a hinge in applying the device to the collar and then as a. means for spanning the meeting ends of the collar and forming a. retaining connection between the bands for holding them in gripping engagement with the opposite faces of the collar neck-fold. On account of it's double collar-reenforcing character, giving sutfieient rigidity of support, the device serves a further important function, viz., as a form for holding the collar upright in the final step of the shirt finishing operation, in which the operator takes the shirt, already folded and otherwise entirely finished except for the shirt front just around the base of the collar, inserts the reenforcing device, which sets up the collar, and then finishes the shirt front by ironing it around the collar seam, with the lower curved edge of the band portion 2 acting as a guiding abutment following said seam. This eliminates the old type of brass spring always employed for this operation, due to the present reenforcing member being strong enough to act as both shaper and collar form, besides materially saving the time of the operator. Moreover, when the device embodying the invention is inserted in the manner shown, the shirts may be bound into a bundle and placed one upon top of another without fear of crushing or otherwisedisfiguring the collar, since in the folded position shown in Figure 1, the collar extends upwardly from the shirt and without some reenforcing means or considerable care in wrapping and handling, is frequently crushed, often resulting in loss of business for the laundry.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capa- -ble of considerable modification and such considered within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A stiffening and supporting device for collars including strips of material substantially equal in length and width and joined together intermediate their ends, one of said strips being slitted on either side of the point of connection between the said strips to define portions to extend outward when said strips are folded one upon the other and bent for insertion within the collar.

2. Collar bracing and stiffening means for collar-attached shirts, comprising a collarbracing band of flexible stiffening material conformable to the inner neck-fold of the collar by embracing a substantial portion of the inside neck-engaging face thereof, and a collar-stiffening band connected with said first band for bracing engagement with said collar between the inner and outer folds thereof.

3. Collar bracing and stiffening means for collar-attached shirts, comprising a pair of collar-bracing bands of flexible stiffening material insertable into positions embracing and conforming to the opposite faces of a substantial portion of the neck-fold of the collar, and a flexible connection between the midportions of said bands at the meeting ends of the collar.

4. Collar bracing and stiffening means for collar-attached shirts, comprising a collarbracing band of flexible stiffening material conformable to the inner neck-fold of the collar by embracing a substantial portion of the inside neck-engaging face thereof, retaining means for projecting over the meeting ends of the collar into engagement with the same between the inner and outer folds thereof, and wing elements projecting laterally intermediate said retaining means and band.

5. Collar bracing and stiffening means for collar-attached shirts, comprising a collarbracin band of flexible stiflening material insertable between the collar folds and having a shape conformable thereto by embracing a substantial portion of the outer face of the neck-fold, retaining means projecting from said band for bridging over the meeting ends of the collar and engaging with the inside neck-engaging face of the neck-fold, and win elements struck out from said band and pro ecting laterally between said band and retaining means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES W. STEELE. 

